Signee



R. M. SMITH.

FLY'ING momma Original-Filed ,Sept. 30 1909 9 I 0 1 ID... by F m y 3 J 45. 6m WM! Q 11 a 4 Q} w w 1|.) ha FIIIlI-I-l |l ||||||I I|| aw I n I I Il l I l l l l I I ll w. x 5N NR 5 Qx a \\Q\ Q\ 3 m m t m: Q 6 3 UN. .0 hm L; km an in N US I II Reissued F eb. 10, 1925.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEXFOBD M. SMITH, DECEASED, LATE OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA;

BY THE CONNECTICUT AIRCRAFT COMPANY, OF HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, AS-

SIGNEE.

' FLYING- MACHINE Original No. 1,398,922, dated November 29, 1921,Serial No. 520,240, filed September 30, 1909. Application forreissujefiled November 27, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Rnxronn M. SMITH, deceased, late a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of Washington, District of Columbia, didinvent new and useful Improvements in Flying Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines of the heavier than air type,one of the main objects of the invention being to provide reliable meansfor maintaining a perfect equilibrium in the air without mental effortand without either voluntary or involuntary physical etfort on the partof the aviator.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting themachine upon the surface of water and rendering it practical to ascendfrom the surface of the water'and alight thereon.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will morefully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flyingmachine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the same on the line 22 ofFig. 1 looking forward.

Fig. 3 is a detail rear elevation of the aviators seat showing a slightmodification.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the hydroplane showing a modifiedarrangement of lifting surface. 1

The frame of the machine which extends fore and aft, comprises the fourmain longitudinal bars 1, 2, 3 and 1,. each of which, as shown in Fig.1, comprises a pair of members or strips 5 and 6, which are preferablyconnected together at their opposite ends, at the bow and stern of themachine, the said members or strips being spaced apart by means oftransverse struts 7 arranged at suitable intervals, while between thestruts, the members 5 and 6 are connected and held together and bracedby diagonal truss wires 8. f This makes a stron and exceedingly lightframe bar admirab y adapted for the support of the front and rear planesand controlling devices. .Qdesignates stanchions or cross barsconnecting the main longitu- Serial No. 677,302.

dinal frame bars 1 and 2 at suitable intervals, while 10 designatesdiagonal truss wires for bracing the frame.

The main lifting and supporting wings 11 project laterally outward fromthe central portion of the main frame, being arranged one above theotheras shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thus making the machine, in theillustrated embodiment, of the biplane t-ype. Arranged ;at the rear ofthe main frame, are therear or tail planes 12, preferably two in number,arranged one above the other, and mounted in fixed relation tov theframe. It will be observed that these planes 12 are preferably curved soas to constitute auxiliary lifting planes, thereby adapting them tocompensate for the weight of the rear portion of the main frame andassist the main planes 11 in the uplift of the machine.

The front planes 13, arranged at the for ward end of the main frame, arealso pref erably curved from front to rear for a similar purpose and areconnected together for simultaneous movement a by stanchions 1 1 andalso, if desired, by diagonal braces 15. The frame work connecting thefront planes 13 is pivotally mounted at 16 on a suitable supportingframe bar 17 and provided with an operating lever arm 18 from which aconnecting bar or rod 19 extends rearward where it is pivotallyconnected to the upper end of a control lever 20 fulcrumed at 21,intermediate its ends and having a hand wheel 22 mounted and journaledon the lower end thereof as shown in Fig. 1. The

.lever 20 is held in a central or neutral position by any suitable meanssuch as opposing springs 23 and 24 which permit the lever to be vibratedeither forward or backward to operate the connecting rod 19 and therebyvary the angle of inclination of the front planes 13 in order to ascendor descend.

Connected pivotally to the rear end of each of the side members of themain frame is a rudder 25, the same being mounted on a vertical axis orhinge rod 26 so as to swing horizontally. Each rudder is provided with aforward extension 27 which acts as a partial counter-balance for themain body of the rudder. The two rudders 25, which are arranged intransverse alinement with each other, will, in practice, probably beconnected together so as to move in unison and maintain ztheirparallelism and: one or both of said rudders will be provided with atiller arm 28 from which a suitable flexible connection, (not shown)will extend to a drum or pulley 29' on the hub of the controller wheel22. The operating connections for the rudders 25 and the front planes 13avill all be connected to and be controlled bythe wheel 22"so that byturning. said wheel to the right, the rudders will'be positioned at anyangle adapting them to steer the machinefto the right and vice versa andby pressing the wheel 22 forward the planes 13 will be inclined todirect the machine upward, while, by moving the wheel 22 back- .ward,the planes 13 will be inclined so as to direct the: machinedownward.

The aviators seat 30 is mounted so that it is free to move laterallywith respect to the length of the machine. This seat may either bemounted on suspending swing links 31 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or it maybe mounted on caster wheels or rollers 32 adapted to travel on one ormore track rails The object in making the aviators seat movable is toautomatically control the lateral balancing-planes 3e whicharepreferably arranged above the upper main plane 11 as shown: iirFigures 1and 2 and pivotally intermediate pointthe connection or cable.

39 is attachedat the point 41 to the upper arm of a lever 42 fulcrumedat 13 and hav ing a jointed connection at M with the aviators seat. the;machine starts to incline to one side or the Qt-i181, the relativemovement between-the machine frame and the aviators seat will efi'e'ct apull on one of the flexible connec tions referred to, thereby efiectinga correspondingvariation inthe angles-of the lat eral: balancing planes,causing the. latter tocountera'ct instantly the tendency-of the machineto list or incline away from atrnehorizontal plane. This is accomplishedWithout any mental effort Whatever on the part of the aviator and alsowithout voluntar-y or involuntary physical effort on his part. 45designates: centrally located ver- .tical fins for maintaining thedirection of travel of the machine andovercoming latera1 leeway.

Arranged at the bottom of themain frame of' the machine is a hydroplan'esupport which B's-shown as consisting of. a pair. of

,fioats 46 secured to the undersides of the It will now be apparent thatas:

lower frame .bars. 2 and 1. Each of said floats, which is preferablyclosed on all sides and practically air tight and water tight at allpoints, .is providedwitha.a'plua rality of hydroplane. surfacest'Z'shown as consisting of plates set at a suitable-Finchnation as shownin Fig. 1 and held sup ported beneath the floats and at a suitabledistance therefrom by means of=hangerbars L8 secured to opposite sidesof the floats. If desired, the hydroplane surfaces or plates 4:? mayextend-entirelyacross between the floats and connect and ti'e'the sametogether as shown Fig. 4. The floats e6 support the machine as a wholeon the surface of the water while the hydroplane surfaces at? aresubmerged. As these hv'droplanes or plates consist preferably of thinplates of steelor aluminum or other metal brought to a sharp edge at thefront they offer a minimum resistance to the forward movement of themachine and at .the same time effect a very considerable uplift. by theresistance of the water against the undersides thereof, the result beingthat the floats. soon rise clear of.contact with the water therebypractically eliminating nearly all of the skin friction of the water andenablin .themachine to quickly attain avelocity su I cientto clear thewater and rise therefrom, after which the hydroplanes 4.7, by reason oftheir inclination, act upon.the air and assist the. other planes in theuplift of the machine. In order to safely alight on the surface of thewater, one or more additional hydro planes as may be secured to.theunderside of the forward portion of the machine frame as shown in Fig.1, the same being adapted to come in contact with the surface of thewater and uphold the front portion of the frame while lthe floats 46 andhydroplanes 47 are settling to their proper level.

Instead of employing the lever 42 above referred to, the flexibleconnection 39 or the connection 37 may be passed around guide pulleysand. connected directly to the aviators seat 30 as indicated in Fig. .3.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim.;.-

1. A combinedairand marineucraft com: pr s g in wm im ma ody or m abiplane aerial supportinghsurface carried thereby, two mainsustainingmpontoons on the undersideof said body,(. said pontoons being.disposed close to and at opposite sides of the center of said bodybelowthe level of said aerial supporting surface, said pontoonsextending. lengthwise in a fore-and aft direction parallel with eachother. and with the line-of flight, .means for propellin the craftin theair and on the water. lifting the craft from .the water into the air,adjustable ..controlling means for steerin e craft nd m i aining itslngit di- 112% and lateral stability, and'a pair of fixed centrallylocated parallel vertical fins in vertical alinement with the outerwalls of the pontoons, said fins being arranged above the upper plane ofthe biplane aerial supporting surface on opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis of the machine and parallel with the line of flightfor maintaining the direction of travel of the craft and overcominglateral leeway,

2. A combined air and marine craft comprising in combination, a body orframe, a biplane aerial supporting surface carried thereby, two mainsustaining pontoons on the underside of said body, said pontoons beingdisposed close to and at opposite sides of the center of said body belowthe level of said biplane aerial supporting surface, said pontoonsextending lengthwise in a fore-and-aftdirection parallel with each otherand with the line of flight, means in cluding a motor and propeller, forpropelling the craft in the air and on the water and inclined planingsurfaces on the pontoons coacting with said motor and propeller forlifting the craft from the water into the air, adjustable controllingmeans for steering the craft and maintaining its longitudinal andlateral stability, and a pair of fixed centrally located parallelvertical fins, said fins being arranged above the upper plane of thebiplane aerial supporting surface in vertical alinement with the outerwalls of the pontoons and on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis ofthe machine and parallel with the line of flight for maintaining thedirection of travel of the craft and overcoming lateral leeway.

3. A combined air and water craft embodying a main frame, a head frame,a tail frame, a main aerial supporting surface carried by the mainframe, an auxiliary aerial supporting surface carried by the tail frame,a waterborne base comprising a plurality of pontoons carried by themainframe beneath said main aerial supporting surfaceand below the level andin advance of said auxiliary aerial supporting surface, motor drivenmeans for pro elling the craft, means for guiding the era t andmaintaining the longitudinal and lateral equilibrium thereof, a pair offixed vertical stability fins arranged parallel with the line of flightabove the level of the main aerial supporting surface and respectivelyin vertical alinement with the outer walls of the waterborne base, and ahydroplane surface upon the base of the head frame separate from andarranged in advance of the bow of the waterborne base.

4. A combined air and water craft embodying a main frame of rectangularform in cross-section and including upper and lower longitudinal framebars and uprights connecting the same, a. biplane aerial supportingsurface comprising superposed wings extending laterally from said frame,motor driven means for propelling the craft, means for guiding the craftand maintaining the longitudinal and lateral equilibrium thereof, awaterborne base for the craft comprising pontoons arranged at the lowercorners of the frame and extending below the level of the lower wings ofthe aerial supporting surface, the wings of both supporting surfaces andthe pontoons being rigidly joined to the frame bars and the superposedframe bars rigidly joined and reinforced by the uprights, and fixedverti cal sta-bilitv fins extending from the upper corners o therectangular main frame above the leved of the upper wings of the aerialsupporting surface, each fin being arranged above and in verticalalinement with a pontoon.

In testimony whereof the assignee corporation herewith aflixes itssignature and seal by its duly authorized officer.

[L. s.] THE CONNECTICUT AIRCRAFT COMPANY,

By SAMUEL C. MOREHOUSE,

Treasurer.

